1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to laboratory ware, and more particularly to vessels, such as flasks and dishes, and methods for cultivating biological cell cultures therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of vessels for the cultivation of biological cell tissues is well known within the art of growing and propagating cell cultures in-vitro. The cells, and the by-products of the cells cultivated in such vessels, are used in a wide variety of biotechnology related endeavors including pharmacology, genetic research and engineering, and general medical applications.
Prior art vessels generally include a primary growing surface within the vessel which is most often a planar surface in which cells adhere upon while being cultivated. The prior art also includes tissue cell vessels known as roller bottles which are specifically designed to be slowly rotated about the longitudinal axis of the bottle to circulate a medium about the cells anchored upon the interior surface thereof. Such prior art roller bottles may also include as a design feature, corrugated, or pleated, side walls to increase the interior planar surface area in which tissue cells will adhere and grow upon without increasing the overall exterior dimensions of the bottle.
Notwithstanding the prior art, there remains a need in the art for cell culture vessels having improved cell growth, and depending upon the purpose of the culture being cultivated, cell by-product yields. Additionally, there is a need to maintain essentially standardized overall external dimensions of certain capacity vessels in order to be easily accommodated by existing incubators widely used within the art.